Fairy Tale Musical
by writerchic16
Summary: Gabriella and Troy fall down the stage trap door and end up in a Disney-like fairy tale land, filled with missing royalty, a talent competition, talking animals, and...song parodies?
1. The Beginning

**Fairy Tale Musical**

A/N: If you have any questions after you read, please check out the (nicer) bottom section of author's notes. Enjoy the story!

* * *

**Prologue**

_Once upon a time, in a far, far away land…Albuquerque, New Mexico, to be exact…there was a beautiful girl named Gabriella. Her mom had just transferred, and she was forced to attend a new school – East High. She was very nervous, terrified that she would once again be labeled "freaky genius girl," as she was quite smart, especially gifted in science. _

_But once she got there, science was not her focus. After a chance meeting a month before, she reunited with the school basketball star, Troy. But the school was heavily divided into cliques, so for her to even talk to him would be questioned. However, they came together over a common bond of singing, a talent they both never realized they had. They tried out for the school play and received call backs. This much angered Sharpay, the head of the school drama club. She and her brother, Ryan, tried everything to prevent Gabriella and Troy from getting "their" lead roles. But with help from some friends, Gabriella and Troy managed to audition, and win the roles for the musical._

_Then, summer came. Sharpay was still angry about what transpired during the year, so when the students got jobs at her country club, she vowed to break up the couple of Gabriella and Troy. The young socialite did her best to win over the basketball star, doing such things as offering him a better job than his classmates and a college scholarship. This greatly angered poor, neglected Gabriella. In fact, this made her so angry that she quit the club…and broke up with Troy. Sharpay thought she had finally won…until it came time for the country club talent show. The couple's friends had convinced Gabriella to forgive Troy and sing a duet, without Sharpay ever knowing! While Sharpay secretly cried over her ruined plans, Gabriella and Troy lived happily ever after._

_For a while, anyway._

_Now, school is starting again – along with drama club practices. It's the beginning of October, and lead roles for the Fall play have already been chosen. Once again, Troy and Gabriella got the leads as Prince Thomas and Princess Giovanna. Sharpay was stuck being the evil duchess, Sarpali, and still wasn't happy about it. _

_We begin in the auditorium of East High. The after-school drama club gathers, ready to start practice for the Fall play, another of Kelsi's creations. Gabriella, Sharpay, and Taylor – who's passing through on her way to a science club meeting — listen intently while Kelsi tells her fairy tale that is the base for the script the two actresses are performing._

Gabriella sat in a front row seat, bringing her attention to focus while her friend Kelsi sat on the stage. Sitting next to her on the aisle seat's arm, a bored Sharpay filed her nails and fussed with her hair. On the brunette's other side, Taylor wore a disproving frown – she'd made her feelings known about fairy tales, which she felt were unrealistic and degrading towards women.

Still, all three remained in their seats while Kelsi began. Even Sharpay had to admit that the composer was a fantastic story teller. Besides, what else was there to do while they waited for Ms. Darbus?

Clearing her throat, Kelsi gave the others a nervous smile. Speaking in front of a group, no matter how small, was always frightening. But they were her friends…mostly…and she was rather proud of this story she'd come up with. When it seemed that she had all three of the girls' attention, she began:

"_Once upon a time, in a distant land, there lived a princess named Giovanna. Like most others of her status, she wasn't born royal. Her life was full of hardship as an orphan, who grew up working for a kind shopkeeper who took her in. Though she was not treated cruelly, the laborious work made her long for a better life._

_Then, one day, the prince of the kingdom walked into the shop. He instantly fell in love with her, and soon she started to feel the same way. Rumors began to spread throughout the population that the kingdom would finally have a princess._

_However, there was one person who was not happy about the news. A member of the royal court, Sarpali, was an evil woman who sought to marry the prince and obtain the throne for herself. With the help of her brother, Ronald, she hired thieve to kidnap Giovanna and take her far away from the kingdom, where the prince and his knights would never find her. But the thieves were told to make the incident look like it took place during a robbery, so no one would ever connect it back to their employer._

_The very next day, Giovanna was captured and forced into a carriage. She was terrified, but sure that her prince Thomas would come rescue her. To calm herself down, she began singing – a hobby she always loved. Instead of telling her to quiet, the thieves were charmed by her melodic voice and encouraged her._

_Luckily, the prince and his knights had been combing the nearby woods for days. The party was resting, when through the silence of the forest, they heard Giovanna's singing. They were able to follow the voice and save the eternally grateful princess-to-be._

_The thieves were thrown in the castle dungeon. While they tried to implicate Sarpali, her and Ronald were too respected (not liked, but respected) for their testimonies to have any merit._

"…still, the kingdom rejoiced, the prince married Giovanna, and they all lived happily ever after," Kelsi finished, leaning back on the stage. "And that's what this play is based on. I haven't thought of a name yet, but the working title is 'Princess Giovanna.'"

Clapping, Gabriella assured her, "That's a great story, Kelsi. How'd you come up with that?"

"I don't know, it just came to me while I was playing the piano in here last semester," Kelsi answered with a modest shrug. "I mean, I'm not claiming it to be original. It's probably a side effect of living on Disney movies when I was a kid. Between that and its…somewhat similarity to past experiences, it was bound to come out of me sooner or later."

"What past experiences?" Gabriella asked, clueless.

Sharpay shared a rare, common exasperated look with Taylor before remarking, "Sarpali was _evil_, okay? _Nothing_ like me."

"And your definition of 'evil' would be…" Taylor scoffed, the brief bond officially broken.

Glaring at her, Sharpay explained, "I'm not 'evil.' I'm 'ambitious' – I see what I want and find a way to make it happen. There's a difference."

Taylor chuckled. "Sure there is. And Kels – what was with the ending? The real baddie wasn't killed or anything. Although, kudos on being more realistic than your average fairy tale."

"Um…thanks…I think…" Kelsi replied. "I don't know why I made her get away with it in the end…"

"I'm glad you did. Maybe Sarpali will see the error of her ways, and she and Giovanna can be friends!" Gabriella suggested, brightened by the prospect.

Sharpay let out a derisive laugh. "Sure, and they all had tea parties and gave each other manicures!"

"I don't think they had nail polish back then…" Gabriella said as she thought about the argument.

"Grow up, Gabriella. Sworn enemies don't ever become _friends_," Sharpay said, pointedly ignoring the glares Kelsi and Taylor were giving her. "The, as you say, 'evil' person may act nice, but really she's just cooling things down before she can strike again."

By then, even Gabriella was looking at the blonde with worry along with her friends, the three clearly getting the message. Before they could say anything, however, Sharpay hopped off the seat ledge and ran a hand through her hair. "Well, I'm off to fix my make-up before practice. Oh, Kelsi, I meant to tell you to do something."

"Yeah, Sharpay?" Kelsi asked, not really sure if she wanted to know.

"See what you can do about that _ridiculous_ name," Sharpay said, rolling her eyes. "Really, 'Sarpali'? I refuse to play a character who shares a name with a breed of dog."

With that, she began walking towards the backstage area.

Gabriella shook her head and said, "I'm so glad auditions are over – I was so nervous I wouldn't get Giovanna's part. She _is_ the lead, and you know Sharpay always wants the lead."

"Gabby, I practically wrote Giovanna with you in mind. You couldn't have _not_ gotten it," Kelsi replied.

Nodding in agreement, Taylor added, "Besides, Sharpay seems happy with this role. The only thing is, it might not provide much of a challenge."

"Very true," Kelsi said, chuckling. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she said to Taylor, "You better get moving. Didn't you say your meeting starts at three-thirty? It's five minutes to."

Taylor glanced at the clock on the wall and grimaced. "Thanks Kels, I better get moving. Have a good practice, you two."

As Taylor rushed out of the room, Gabriella asked, "So, you wanted to go over a song that's in the show?"

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me. It's not perfect yet, and your character sings it. It's the first song of the show," Kelsi explained, running over to the piano, where her music score was waiting.

Gabriella went up the stairs and began to sing the song at Kelsi's cue. The tune seemed oddly familiar to her – a lot like the one she remembered singing with Troy at the ski trip last year. Smiling at the memory, she continued:

_When I was just a girl_  
_How could I understand?_  
_This is how my life would happen,_  
_By fate or circumstance_

_I never thought I would win_  
_I never could have believed_  
_That my life would only start_  
_When I followed my dreams_

_But now, my feeling is strange_  
_Something even more is coming my way_  
_It's now in my sight_

_It's strong in my heart_

_The day will come soon_  
_What may be other nights_  
_Tonight might not be true_  
_So now, with hope in my eyes_  
_I wait for the start_

_Because the day will come soon…_

"Hey, everyone. Hope I'm not late."

The girls stopped rehearsal as Troy came in and put his book bag and jacket on a chair, climbing the steps. Gabriella's smile widened. "No, Kelsi and I were just going over the first song."

"You sounded great," Troy replied, kissing her on the cheek in greeting.

Blushing, Kelsi decided to give them some time alone and gathered her papers. "I'm going to check some stuff with Mrs. Darbus. See you two in a few minutes."

Acknowledging Kelsi, Troy refocused his attention on his girlfriend. "So how was your day?"

"Interesting…" Gabriella said, then took a few minutes to explain the conversation between her, Taylor, Sharpay and Kelsi. "So…do you think Sharpay is up to her old tricks again?"

Troy frowned as he gave the idea some thought. "I hope not. She seemed like our friend after the Star Dazzle award show this summer. Besides, you've already got the part. What can she do about it now?"

Placated for the moment, Gabriella smiled. Then the two joined the rest of the club when Mrs. Darbus called everyone to her attention.

* * *

_Finally. Glad that's over. That "fairy tale tone" gets on my nerves. But you know, it's a fairy tale – you gotta respect the tone._

_Hi! I'm your semi-friendly Narrator, 'cause…well…every good fairy tale has to have a narrator. I'll be your guide through this parody, because you'll probably need someone to explain what the heck is going on every now and then. _

_Oh, and, expect me to interject every once in a while for these types of explanations. I will try to keep it at a minimum, but well…I tend to be opinionated at times._

_On with the story!_

_Now, several days have passed since Kelsi told the girls the fairy tale. In the school hallways, Sharpay cleans her locker during free period._

Honestly, the Sharpay no intention of "striking again." While she was still miffed that Gabriella had stolen her role in the Winter musical…and Spring musical…the blonde was content with what she had for this Fall production. Even though she was the villain, this was a fairy tale. And everyone knew that fairy tale villains always stole the show in plays.

Despite the fact that Gabriella was being slated as the female star.

Taking a few deep breaths, Sharpay quietly repeated the mantra she'd been using to help her cope with the loss. "I am the star. _I_ am the star. I am _the star_." Overcome by momentary anger, she slammed her locker door closed, producing a loud metallic bang. Through clenched teeth, she muttered, "I _am_ the star. No matter what Ms. Darbus or the stupid playbill might say."

"Hey, Sharpay."

Startled, Sharpay nearly jumped when she realized her brother was standing in front of her. "Hello, Ryan. I thought you had class this period."

"I do," Ryan replied, holding up a bathroom pass. "I was on my way back and had to tell you what Ms. Darbus told me. She said to pass it on to you anyway."

"What is it?" Sharpay asked, curious. It wasn't often that her brother knew drama club information before she did. But she supposed it was part of the new "assertive" attitude he'd adapted after making friends with Troy and his group that summer. Frankly, it was getting on her nerves, and she was waiting for him to come to his senses.

She still hadn't forgiven him for what he did to her at the Star Dazzle show.

A tentative smile on his face, Ryan began, "You know how Ms. Darbus said that she might be getting her cousin to come?"

"Spill. Now," Sharpay demanded, her curiosity rising ten-fold. Ms. Darbus' cousin was an off-Broadway producer in New York. But the drama teacher had mentioned it so long ago that the whole drama club had given up hope of his attendance.

"He's coming. To opening night."

And Sharpay's world was turned upside-down.

Her thoughts came a mile a minute as she could do nothing but stare at her brother. _He's coming. An off-Broadway producer is coming. To East High. To see our show. I will be discovered, finally._

"But I'm not the stupid _star_!" Sharpay exclaimed, then let out a shriek that only dogs could hear...

_(I think I should take over for a moment and spare you. Let's just say that the janitor's going to have to replace at least one broken glass window…)_

Whirling around to face her brother, Sharpay fought to keep her breath even. "Please tell me this is a cruel joke."

"No, that would be cool though. We'd get to meet Ashton Kutcher," Ryan lamented.

_(Anyway, Sharpay went through the rest of her day quite frustrated, banging her books on her desks and slamming any locker door that happened to be open. Most students avoided her like the plague. Indeed, at East High, an angry Sharpay was possibly the scariest phenomenon known to students. _

_Besides an angry Ms. Darbus, but even that was pushing it._

_By the time afternoon drama practice rolled around, the club members braced themselves for the worst.) _

However, Sharpay strolled into the auditorium with her usual dignity and grace, swinging her hips and toting her designer book bag. She'd had all day to cool down and had come up with the only workable solution.

Give such a great performance at practice that Ms. Darbus would _have_ to give her the part.

In her mind, it made sense. Surely Gabriella would understand if Sharpay explained to her that an amateur had no business being the star of the performance when a producer was visiting. Didn't the brunette want to do what was best for the show? And they weren't too far into practice that a sudden switch would hurt the overall production. It was all a matter of convincing Gabriella and Ms. Darbus to see reason.

And Sharpay could be _very_ convincing.

Since she was early, the front stage area was virtually deserted as everyone prepared themselves backstage. Sharpay didn't need to, since she'd already fixed her make-up at her locker, so she got on stage and read over her lines.

"Hi, Sharpay!"

For the second time that day, the blonde was surprised by someone she _didn't_ want to be surprised by. Sure enough, Gabriella walked out from backstage, her usual perfect, perky self, a script in hand. A friendly, but hesitant, smile on her face, she asked, "You want to run lines? Everyone else should be here in a few minutes…"

"Sure," Sharpay grumbled. The rest of the drama club would be there soon, like Gabriella said – it wasn't like she'd have to deal with the annoying science club geek for long. Going over to stand next to the other actress, Sharpay paused as her gaze fell to the stage floor.

Gabriella was standing only a few feet away from the new stage trap door.

It'd be a _lot_ easier than what Sharpay had had in mind…

_No,_ Sharpay thought, resisting the mounting urge. _Falling through a stage trap door, without being prepared for it, could result in injury. You don't want to be sued…_

But if Gabriella didn't _know_ it was her. Say, if she was pushed from behind…or something…and it wouldn't kill her or anything.

Her mind made up, Sharpay ran to the side control panel. At Gabriella's quizzical stare, the blonde explained, "Oh, uh, the light is _so_ dull in here. Give me a second and I'll switch on some of the spotlights…"

"Well, if you think we need to," Gabriella replied, shrugging as she flipped through her script.

While Gabriella conveniently distracted herself, Sharpay decided what way would be best to carry out her new plan. The trap door worked one of two ways. The first way, a hidden platform slowly carried the actor down. Another way, for fast exits, the door swung down, causing the actor to free fall. Either way, the floor below was covered with huge landing pads that guaranteed the actor's safety.

But it wasn't enough to just flip the switch while an actor stood on the door. There had to be some kind of pressure applied – it was a little sticky since it was so new. And of course there was the problem that Gabriella wasn't standing on the door.

Then Sharpay spotted the lever that turned on the center spot light.

Sharpay grinned. _That could work._

Checking once again that Gabriella wasn't looking, Sharpay turned on the light. The stage was instantly filled with a blinding glow, most of it directed at Gabriella.

"Sharpay!" the brunette squealed, throwing her hands up in front of her face, the script clattering to the stage floor. "I think that's too bright!"

Pretending to look for the right switch, Sharpay called back, "U-uh, one second…it's not like I'm a stage hand or anything…"

Sure enough, Gabriella stumbled backwards. A few steps more...finally, Gabriella moved so that she was on the center of the door. Her grin widening, Sharpay turned the light off…then turned it on again. She couldn't have planned it better when Gabriella jumped, effectively loosening the door.

By now, Gabriella was growing worried, her voice high-pitched as she squeaked, "Sharpay, w-what's going…"

The word "on" never got out of her mouth. Sharpay pulled the lever.

Gabriella was gone in an instant.

Smiling at her handiwork, Sharpay turned off the light and let out a deep breath. It wasn't easy – even if Gabriella hadn't gotten hurt in the fall, the blonde had finally managed to get some sweet, petty revenge.

But if she was going to run to Ms. Darbus for help, she needed to look distressed. _And after all,_ Sharpay thought. _If Troy sees me so upset for my dear friend Gabriella, he might start to like me._

This kept getting better and better.

Fake tears pouring down her face, Sharpay ran off toward backstage.

_What she didn't notice was that Gabriella wouldn't be able to hear help once it came. Instead of safely landing on the cushion, the terrified brunette was falling…falling…falling… _

* * *

A/N: Seriously, I have got to stop writing author's notes after I drink coffee. It just doesn't work, and I end up scaring people, lol.

So, posting this story, take two. Since I deleted the other one without copying the author's notes, I'll do my best to remember it.

_Number One_: I'd still like to point out to people that this is _not_ an _Enchanted_ crossover. While this has the same basic plot in reverse, the magic land that Gabriella and Troy will eventually end up in is _not_ Andalasia. It's basically the same thing, but my own version. So, yeah, no _Enchanted_ characters.

_Number Two_: I stand by my previous conviction, but I'll keep my rant a little shorter. PLEASE, for the love of all that is good and holy, PLEASE DO NOT leave me a review asking something to the effect of, "Is this (insert favorite fan couple here)? Because I only read (again, insert said couple)." It is INCREDIBLY annoying, not to mention RUDE and disrespectful to the author, of any fanfiction story. I'm only saying this because I've written an HSM story before, and there were quite a few reviews that did not comment on the piece, but only remarked how they so wanted it to honor their favorite couple.

Because, frankly my dear reader, I don't give a dang (hey, this is a Disney fic). Maybe there will be Troyella, maybe there won't. Maybe there'll be Chaylor, maybe there won't. Maybe there'll be Ryelsi, maybe...oh, you get the idea (Man, it scared me that I even know those terms). Honestly, _I_ don't even know what pairings are going to show up, so there's no way I could even answer questions about it. But whatever direction I go, I'm warning you now, there will be VERY light romance with whatever couple I choose to include.

_Number Three_: THIS IS A PARODY. I'll say it again. THIS IS A PARODY. As I write this, I'm realizing that it may be less humorous than I originally intended it to be, and read more like an actual story. HOWEVER, please know that I, as someone who has been writing fanfiction for too many years to admit, would _never _write an actual story _this_ cliche. But since we talked about movie cliches and watched _Enchanted_ in class, and I'm writing a paper on HSM for said class (it's a strange course. And, yes, I'm a college sophomore. Laugh if you must), it was only a matter of time before the two concepts clicked together in my head. And I felt the only way to do the idea justice was to write it as a parody, while pointing out all the cliches. It won't insult HSM, per se, just objectively note - through the characters themselves - overdone plot elements and character aspects.

_Number Four_: Last one, then you can go ahead and click that review button (hehe, kidding. I'm really not the type to beg for reviews...but it would be nice). Since this IS a parodic mix of Disney classics and HSM, there _have_ to be songs. I'll say it right now that I'm no composer or genius songwriter. So, to deal with that, all songs in here are parodies of HSM 1 songs. They'll also be in order - hopefully you could tell that the lyrics in this chapter was my poor excuse for a parody of "Start of Something New." Just remember, they're all parodies - the lyrics are supposed to be bad.

Right.

Well, that's it for now. The next chapter should be up soon, hope you liked this one!


	2. The Competition

**Chapter 1**

_While Gabriella fell into oblivion, Sharpay ran towards back stage, crying as hysterically as she could manage. _

"Ms. Darbus, Ms. Darbus!" Sharpay wailed, hiccupping and struggling to catch her breath. _I'm a _good_ actress,_ she thought to herself, all the while wiping tears away with a dramatic swipe of her hand.

The blonde darted across the large back room, spotting the drama teacher chatting with Kelsi. Ms. Darbus glanced up just before Sharpay reached her. "My goodness, what's wrong?" Ms. Darbus exclaimed. As Kelsi glanced on with a mixture of worry and suspicion, the other drama club members – including Troy and Ryan – gathered around in a circle. Noting this, the teacher added, "Now don't crowd her. Let the poor girl have some breathing room."

After her classmates obliged, Sharpay waited until their attention was refocused on her. Then she choked out, "G-Gabriella a-and I were rehearsing…"

"Gabriella?" Troy interrupted, beginning to panic. "What happened to Gabi?"

Annoyed by the interruption, Sharpay fought to maintain her distressed composure and continued, "S-she wanted to do the scene where Giovanna tries to run away from the thieves, and Gabriella uses the trap door. I told her to wait, since you always tell us not to use the trap door when you're not around, b-but she wouldn't listen…"

"That doesn't sound like Gabriella," Kelsi interrupted, now eyeing the blonde with more suspicion than before.

"Well, she _did_," Sharpay snapped, for a moment forgetting her act. The way she saw it, there were only the two of them there. Which meant no witnesses, and Sharpay could always discredit Gabriella by saying the brunette hit her head when she fell. Forcing her eyes to well up with tears once again, Sharpay continued, "S-so, she switched the lever to unlock the door, then went to stand on it. B-but you know how we've had to stomp on it in order for it to give way? It must be loosening, because the moment one of her feet touched it…i-it swung down and caught her off guard."

As the rest of the drama club gasped, Ms. Darbus tried to keep the panic out of her voice. "Oh my goodness, is she alright? Where is she?"

Managing to let out a convincing sob, Sharpay answered, "I don't _know_! She fell down the hole when the door opened, and she hasn't come up!"

Ms. Darbus face visibly paled, then she tried to regain her composure and stated, "Well, then, let us go see if Ms. Montez is alright."

Her students didn't need to be told twice, running toward the stage in a stampede. They all circled around the open trap door. Gathering her dress to the side as she crouched down, Ms. Darbus called, "Ms. Montez? Ms. Montez? Can you hear me?"

Everyone, including Sharpay, held their breath in anticipation. Sharpay's mind was racing, wondering if she really _had_ done serious damage to her co-star's physical well being. In a panicked shout, this one for real, Sharpay yelled, "Gabriella? _Gabriella!_"

"Gabriella!" Troy echoed, now kneeling down next to Ms. Darbus. The rest of the drama club chimed in, and soon the sound of the brunette's name was resounding off the auditorium walls.

No response came.

* * *

_Now, let's take a break from the excitement of East High and visit another far, far away land. Unbeknownst to Kelsi, her characters co-exist elsewhere, in the fairy tale land of Disnia. The story of Princess Giovanna and Prince Thomas' courtship is known throughout the land, and currently the couple lives their happily ever after. _

_Though they were allowed a long honeymoon, Princess Giovanna and Prince Thomas were expected to return to their royal duties as soon as possible. But Giovanna didn't know anything about being a princess, so she did the best she could when she found out she and the prince were expected to host a ball. While Kelsi and her friends rehearsed the show…not long before Gabriella fell down the trap door…Princess Giovanna had some preparations of her own to carry out…_

A few short days after she was informed of her duties, Giovanna and her staff were particularly busy preparing for her first ball. There was so much to do that the new princess knew nothing about, like the fine points of creating a guest list and what food would be appropriate.

But she wasn't alone in the process. Once she assumed her princess role, she was given a whole group of hand maidens to help and coach her. One hand maiden who was fast becoming a friend was a spunky and smart young woman named Trisha.

"Oh, Trisha," Giovanna said, distress in her voice. The two were in one of the rooms of the princess' suite, items for the party crowding the room. "I'm so afraid. How ever will I fit in at this fancy ball?"

Waving a dismissive hand, Trisha assured her, "You'll be fine, Princess. The whole kingdom already loves you. And I must say that the kidnapping incident didn't hurt your PR either."

"My what?" Giovanna asked.

"Peasant relations," Trisha explained. "Every princess has to worry about how she's seen by her peasants. It's one of my jobs as head hand maiden to keep track of public opinion. For instance – since you were kidnapped, you've gained a lot of sympathy. And that's always good."

Giovanna sighed. "There's so much to learn! This ball is much too soon; I haven't settled into the castle at all. If only I could sing at this ball, then that would help my nerves…"

"Well, you could. You're the princess – you could do anything. Sing a song, paint a picture, produce a whole stage show if you want. It's all up to you," Trisha reminded her.

"I'll think about that," Giovanna said, a little relived by the option. "But that would still draw a lot of attention to me. And…I don't know…I keep getting distracted by this feeling…"

"What feeling?" Trisha asked.

Unsure how to explain, Giovanna began to sing:

_Now isn't it odd that_  
_Another change is in sight_  
_When my heart couldn't be lighter_  
_After hardship in my life_

_But I know, something will change_  
_I have to say_  
_I know that it's real_

_It's strong in my heart_  
_The day will come soon_  
_What may be other nights_  
_Tonight might not be true_  
_So now, with hope in my eyes_  
_I wait for the start_  
_Because the day will come soon_

_I have to wonder why this will happen_  
_To no one else but to me_  
_But it's been good before_  
_So I'm eager to see…_

When Giovanna trailed off, Trisha reminded her, "Well, that day's gonna have to be marked on a calendar, because you're too busy to worry about it right now. Here's an idea – how about a singing competition?"

"A singing competition! Where all the peasants in the competition can enter! That would be wonderful!" Giovanna exclaimed. "Come, let's go tell the prince of the idea!"

* * *

_But while the princess carries out her plans, fellow members of the court are coming up with their own…_

Walking down a castle corridor one afternoon, Sarpali and her brother Ronald stopped when they heard the princess singing from around the corner. It was quite common that Princess Giovanna sang as she worked, and the preparations were making her work a lot lately. "You have to admit that she has a lovely voice," Ronald said with some hesitation. "Are we really going to try to beat her in the singing competition?" The competition was allowing duets. While singles were allowed, most of the royalty was signing up with their singing partner of choice.

"Of course we would," Sarpali snapped, tossing her long, blond curls over her shoulder. "But I won't have to. She's running the competition, so she can't enter it. I…I mean, we, will be sure to win. Then I…we, can use that to gain favor and take over."

Ronald wrinkled his brow. "How would we do that, exactly? Prince Thomas and Princess Giovanna are already guaranteed the throne when his mother passes."

Shaking her head, Sarpali explained, "Not 'guaranteed.' If we can get enough of the court behind us, we can oust the royal pains with ease. It's been done before." A dreamy grin on her face, she fantasized, "Then, to make it even better, Prince Thomas will want his throne back so bad that he'll leave that goody-two-shoes and _beg_ to make me his bride. Everybody wins."

_(Now, it may be confusing that Sarpali and Ronald are still in the court after their failed revolt attempt. But, as Taylor had pointed out, they weren't accused of any crime, and so allowed to remain in the castle. Though some court members had their suspicions, Sarpali and Ronald chose to ignore them and maintained their right to stay. Sarpali had reasoned that if there was any way of a second attack, keeping her semi-royal status was absolutely necessary._

_So, with a fake grin and practiced charm, Sarpali and Ronald manage to fend off suspicion while plotting what they viewed as their revenge._

_Okay, back to the story.)_

"If you say so," Ronald grumbled, noting her lack of care for his position after their scheme was carried out. For several hours now he had been keeping some information about the competition from her, waiting for the right time when the blow would hold the less impact. At the moment, though, he'd show her feelings as much care as she did his.

In an abrupt tone, he said, "Princess Giovanna and Prince Thomas are entering the competition as a duet."

"_What?"_

_(No, that wasn't me. Sarpali just screamed _really_ loud.)_

Sarpali's screech echoed down the corridor, surely heard by every other attendant in the palace. Those working nearby stopped to give her a curious stare.

_(See?)_

Glaring at the others, Sarpali pulled her brother aside and demanded in a harsh whisper, "Say that again, but in truth form this time. Surely you jest."

"But 'tis true," Ronald insisted. "The couple is entering. And expected to win, might I add."

"Who is the judge then?" Sarpali seethed, clenching her free fist. The other one had an iron grip on Ronald's tunic.

Trying to free himself as he spoke, Ronald explained, "Lady Darla. I hear that she is a very good vocal instructor for the children of the castle."

"I will be speaking to the duchess later," Sarpali declared, finally releasing her hold on her brother. "But oh, this does complicate things. The duchess herself had said what a beautiful voice both the princess and prince have. How am I to win now?"

"You mean 'we,'" Ronald reminded her.

Sarpali waved a dismissive hand. "Yes, yes, of course, _we_. How are _we_ to win now?"

Thankful for the acknowledgement, Ronald suggested, "Maybe you could convince Princess Giovanna to quit. She has admitted that she gets nervous performing for an audience."

"No, she is too excited for the event, no amount of nerves will make her disappoint her peasants. She would never…" Sarpali trailed off, taking a few dramatic steps away from Ronald while she gathered her thoughts. "She would never…_willingly_…but if she should, for some _unfortunate_ reason, be unable to attend…but it would have to be timed just right, perhaps after invitations have been sent out so that it could not be cancelled…"

Not liking the direction this was going, Ronald protested, "B-but we tried that already, remember? And she was found!"

"Then we will make sure she is not found this time! Come, Ronald, we shall go to our chamber and develop a plan!" Sarpali exclaimed. She once again took her brother by the arm and began dragging him toward the section of the castle they called home.

As he was being pulled away, Ronald groaned under his breath, "This does not bode well."

_Just how does Sarpali expect to keep her plans from failing again? Will Ronald be able to stand up to her, or inform Giovanna before it's too late? And on another note, what in the world is going to happen to poor Gabriella? _

_All I know is, evil seems to have been given free reign, as both Sharpay and Sarpali are allowed to get away with their scheming and plotting. Everyone else better catch on quick, or this could be disastrous._


	3. The Woodland Creatures

**Chapter 2**

_You don't think I forgot about Gabriella, do you? Of course not! I am The Narrator, who knows all, sees all, forgets nothing…_

_And occasionally goes on ego trips. Oh well, deal with it._

_Now, let me see. Last chapter, Sharpay had convinced most of the drama club that her co-actress had fallen down the trap door "on accident," while Sarpali vowed to come up with a plan to make sure the prince and princess don't interfere with her goal of taking over the talent competition. _

_So where's Gabriella?_

After disappearing through the trap door, the terrified brunette proceeded to fall into a swirling vortex of purple and blue light. _This is _not_ the basement,_ Gabriella thought, trying to gain some kind of balance by waving her arms and kicking her legs. But the strange light around her did not respond like water would. In fact, any movement only threw her further off balance. Frustrated, Gabriella decided to give in to her fate and have patience until the light stopped.

Sharpay was _so_ going to pay for this.

While the blonde hadn't exactly pushed her, Gabriella had the feeling that her fellow drama club member had done this on purpose. Yes, Gabriella liked to see the best in people, but after falling victim to Sharpay's schemes twice, even she now realized that Sharpay had purposely turned the spotlight on.

Now that she thought about it, it made perfect sense. After all, how could Sharpay pull the wrong lever? The famous actress wannabe had been part of school productions since Freshman year.

However, Gabriella was having a hard time figuring out how Sharpay managed to rig this up. The lights, the free falling…yes, it could all be simulated with machinery. But why would Sharpay go through so much trouble?

And on top of that, Gabriella just…_felt_ different. Not emotionally, just…her whole body was tingling, and she could've sworn her skin and clothes were getting brighter. While that could've been the light around her, she doubted it.

_What's happening to me?_ Gabriella thought with a whimper.

Finally, the light stopped. It was as if she'd reached the top of a roller coaster hill, and the cart took a nose dive.

Gabriella never did have the stomach for roller coasters.

Her hands over her mouth, Gabriella closed her eyes as she felt her body do a one-eighty so that she was in a vertical position. Her feet bumped up against something solid, then she slid down what felt like a rough chute.

The ensuing harsh contact with some sort of ground threw her so off-balance that she rolled along on her side, coming to a stop face up, her back lying on a hard, dirt-like substance.

_I'm too scared to open my eyes,_ Gabriella thought.

Summoning all her courage, and fighting back a growing headache, Gabriella slowly opened her eyes one at a time. And gasped.

_(Can you say, "Toto, I don't think we're in East High any more"?)_

Her jaw dropping, Gabriella just sat on the ground and stared at her new surroundings in wonder. It was surreal, as if she'd suddenly landed in a different world. She was in a forest clearing, but…it wasn't like any forest she'd ever seen. It was so…_clean_ and _bright_. The sun shone over head, but wasn't harsh despite the virtual absence of clouds. The dozens of trees in sight were cheery shades of green and brown, even the hallow logs or muddy grass. Glancing over her shoulder, she deduced that she must have fallen down the hallow tree not two feet away from her.

Despite the calm atmosphere, Gabriella was panicking. _Where am I?_ By now, she'd realized that Sharpay couldn't possibly be behind _this_ aspect of her fall…unless the blonde had gotten hold of some pretty strong hallucinogens.

Not wanting to consider that option, Gabriella satisfied herself with the reasoning that she'd hit her head and was now dreaming.

Her eyes widened as she realized she wasn't alone. Dozens of woodland creatures were poking their heads out of the bushes to stare at her, their own eyes widened with curiosity. _Aw, how cute,_ Gabriella thought. But then again…

"I feel like Snow White," Gabriella muttered to herself, remembering the scene from the movie when the princess woke up after running from the huntsman.

Gabriella looked up when some bunny rabbits and chipmunks parted to let through a deer, who galloped into the clearing to stand next to the stunned brunette. Brining its snout down Gabriella's level, the deer asked, "Are you alright, miss?"

Well, if Gabriella didn't think she was having a dream before, she certainly did now. And a strange one at that.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Gabriella put her astonishment aside and answered, "U-uh, yeah, I think so, thanks."

"Do you need help getting up?" the deer asked, tilting its antler, indicating that she should use it as a handle.

Realizing that her legs were still weak, Gabriella nodded. "Thanks." Afraid she would break it, Gabriella gently held on to the antler to get back on her feet. Wiping some dust off her jeans, she became somewhat intimidated when she saw that even standing, the deer was almost her height. "U-um, where am I?"

Before the deer could answer, a squirrel scurried in from the brush, up a tree trunk, and hopped onto the deer's back. Running up to perch atop the undisturbed deer's head, the squirrel squeaked, "What do ya mean, 'where am I'? You're the princess, ain't ya? The Princess Giovanna I know knows every inch of these woods."

"Snap," the deer said, addressing the squirrel with all the patience of a father lecturing his child. "That's not the princess. She has a different scent."

Wrinkling his nose, the squirrel leaned in to the air around Gabriella and sniffed. "Oh, yeah. You'll have to excuse me, miss. I've got terrible allergies."

"It's okay," Gabriella assured him, amused by the concept of woodland creatures with allergy problems. Not wanting to sound rude, but needing an answer to her question, she added, "I'm sorry, but I'd really like to know where I am."

Giving her a reassuring smile, the deer replied, "You're in Disnia, a land just south of Far, Far Away, north of Andalasia, and to the east of Neverland. Does that help?"

"I-I don't think so," Gabriella answered, surprised. _Wow, that's the last time I stay up past midnight watching Disney movies._ "Um, I may be from a slightly different universe. I'm from Albuquerque, New Mexico."

"New Mexico? That's a strange name for a kingdom," the squirrel remarked. "Is there a place called Old Mexico too?"

Giggling, Gabriella answered, "Not that I know of." Glancing back at the hollow tree trunk, she said, "I'm guessing I can't go back the way I came. Um, you wouldn't know of anyone who knows how to cross dimensions, would you?"

"Not specifically, but someone at the castle could probably help you, maybe a good witch or a fairy godmother," the deer answered, shaking his head toward the north. Now that Gabriella turned around, she could see a magnificent castle, with bricks a light shade of pink and sky-blue trim.

"Wow," Gabriella breathed, for she had never seen a real fairy tale castle before outside of movies. Noting that it was a good distance away, she decided that it would be very easy for her to get lost. "You've been so nice to me already," Gabriella said. "But would it be too much trouble to take me there? Please? I'd really appreciate it."

"For a sweetheart like you? No problem, Miss…" the squirrel trailed off, his whiskers twitching. "What's your name again?"

"I'm sorry, I never did introduce myself," Gabriella answered. "I'm Gabriella Montez."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Montez. I'm Glade," the deer replied. "And this is…"

"Snap the squirrel at your service, Miss Montez," the squirrel said as he held out a tiny paw, which she gingerly shook. "Pleased to meet you."

Introductions made, the trio headed off into the woods towards the castle.

_Figures that after landing in a place called Disnia, Gabriella would make friends with talking animals. While they make their way towards the castle, let's check on the East High drama club, shall we?_

* * *

_After several moments of shouting, the group quieted, realizing that the fallen actress was not going to respond._

Worried for his girlfriend's well-being, Troy said, "I'm going down there. She probably passed out when she landed and needs help."

"You'll do no such thing," Ms. Darbus warned, giving the aggravated boy a warning look. "Mr. Bolton, there is quite clearly something wrong with this trap door. First being stuck, next giving way without notice…we can't risk anyone else using it. I have the key to the basement, so I'll walk around the long way."

"B-but…" Troy protested. At the drama teacher's glare, he explained, "Someone should go with you. You know, in case you have to carry Gabby…"

"I'll go, Ms. Darbus!" Sharpay chirped, rushing to her mentor's side. When the others gave her quizzical stares, she snapped, "What? I do Pilates, I'm buff."

Once the two left, Troy and Kelsi went over to the side to chat while the rest of the club broke off into small groups. "So what do you think she's up to?"

"I don't know for sure," Kelsi answered. "But I have a feeling that Gabriella's fall was no accident."

Raising an eyebrow, Troy replied, "Really? I know Sharpay has been pretty sneaky in the past, but she would never…would she? Gabriella could be seriously hurt!"

"Well, I don't know if Sharpay actually meant to hurt Gabby," Kelsi reasoned, but there was doubt in her voice. "However, I'm sure it was satisfying to scare Gabby a little. You know there's been that rivalry ever since Gabriella got to East High."

Troy sighed. "Yeah, I've never gotten that. Sure, there's the play rivalry, but it's like it's…personal for her."

"_R_ight," Kelsi replied, letting out an exasperated groan. "Anyway, something's definitely fishy here. But you're never going to get the full story when Sharpay, Darbus, and Gabby get back. Whatever Gabriella says happens, Sharpay will deny it…and who do you think Ms. Darbus will believe?"

Realizing that Kelsi was right, Troy agreed, "Yeah. I have to get to Gabriella first and wake her up. Maybe then she can pretend that she wasn't hurt in the first place…and the two of us can make the argument. If it's just Sharpay and Gabriella down there, Gabriella doesn't stand a chance."

"Exactly. So…how are you going to get down there? We can't use the trap door, and the rope ladder is in the basement," Kelsi said, approaching the area near the hole in the stage.

Looking down at it, Troy replied, "I don't know. Even when you switch on the free fall option, the door still opens slowly so you have some support. But this thing has been so unstable…Ms. Darbus actually may be right – we shouldn't use it."

"Then how are you going to get down there?" Kelsi asked.

Troy gathered his courage as he answered, "I'll have to jump."

"What? Are you crazy, Troy?" Kelsi exclaimed. By then, the rest of the drama club had caught on to the plan and gathered around to see the results. Growing uneasy at the sudden attention, she continued, "I know there's padding, but you can get hurt without some kind of support! You could break a bone on impact!"

"Kels…it's Gabby. I'm going," Troy said with conviction, swallowing the nervous lump in his throat and standing on the edge of the hole. Suddenly feeling emotional, he exclaimed, "Fear not, my sweet Gabriella, I will rescue you!"

When the others stared at him in amusement, he shrugged. "What? It felt right…anyway…here I go?" After Kelsi made sure the door was open all the way, Troy took a deep breath and jumped.

_How heroic. Hopefully he'll be able to catch up to Gabriella, or be as fortunate as her and meet some friendly woodland creatures to point him in the right direction._


End file.
